I always tell folks that when I retire from my work as an auto auctioneer, I’ll be walking. They think I’m joking. Fat chance. I currently waste anywhere from ten to fifteen hours a week on the open road. Now given I’m not stuck in an office building or bathed underneath florescent lights. But all that road time is still about ten to fifteen percent of my waking hours inside a car. All that time. I’m on the radio, the phone. Just sitting. Driving. Passing the time. I could opt for far shorter commutes. But I have three nagging issues.
The first is my wife. She doesn’t want to move. Ever. She loves the house. Loves her friends (someone has to). Loves the neighbors. Also nearly every commercialized convenience is within five miles of us. So we’re not moving.
The second is my work. If I say no to driving, I say no to money. Believe it or not, I have friends who drive six hours to a sale and add 1200+ miles on their steads over the course of a week. Comparatively, my 500 mile a week diet is downright stingy with a Honda Insight that can do it all in a tankful. I have a family to care for so this ain’t changing… yet.
But here’s the real issue.
I’m a tightwad AND cultural misfit. Asking me to go shopping for crap I don’t need is the equivalent of putting a financial gun to my head. The last time I visited my mom and in-laws they dragged me kicking and screaming to Ikea. I proceeded to find a couch with display books nearby and just read for two hours. Then I talked the Ikea manager into letting me keep one of these books. A book about bankruptcy auctions out of all things, so I wouldn’t have to endure another worthless afternoon looking at crap in a Long Island mall.
After telling my family how cheap I can buy all these things at thrift stores and estate auctions in Georgia, I am officially on their ‘Do Not Call’ list as it pertains to shopping.
And there’s the issue. If I didn’t have a car I probably wouldn’t go anywhere. I would definitely consider a pickup game of basketball or softball. Perhaps a bit of time at the library or gardening. But I wouldn’t need a car. Screw that. I would bum rides and maybe even get a real job. Part-time of course. With very flexible hours. Hmmm… maybe I should just open another car lot.
I’ve had the pleasure of a sub-five mile commute for most of my adult life. I’ve walked, biked, driven, motorcycled and it means far more up time in daily living. The downside is that I have spent more time on commercial flying than I liked. Although having someone drive a 747 for you is less stressful than driving on your own, travel also consumes huge quantities of time.
There was a four year period where I lived and worked in New York City and for the first time in my adult life did not own a car. I kept a motorcycle in a local garage for the odd weekend jaunt out of the city and would rent a car if the need arose. Otherwise, travel was bipedal or public transportation and was quite satisfactory.
At present, I’m motorcycling about 4 miles each way to work and could not enjoy it more. Teleconferences now minimize the need to actually be somewhere else…
There are alternatives to long commutes.
I’ve had longish (45 miles each way) and very short (a little less than a mile each way) daily commutes, and both have their benefits. The long commute gave me time in the morning to collect my thoughts, listen to new CDs, and mentally prep myself for the day. The short commute saves on gas and lets me sleep in longer in the morning.
If I lived in NYC, Chicago, London, Tokyo, or the handful of other cities on the globe that have truly world class public transportation systems, I would have no problem going without a car. Where I live now, while it would be possible, as I could theoretically bike to work , grocery stores, and most of the businesses I frequent, I would never want to do it. Owning a car gives me the freedom to grab lunch at the sub shop twenty miles south if I get a craving, buy more when I’m out shopping than I can fit in a basket or over the handlebars, or drive out to the barrier islands and rent a boat for the day.
Speaking of boats, I’ve always found boat owners to be a silly bunch. Not only do you have to factor in the cost of the boat, but the cost of a slip at the marina, or a trailer and a tow vehicle, or waterfront property that costs twice as much as the same house a street back, boat insurance, tags, registration, etc, etc, for something that you might only use one or two weekends a month. I suppose you could use the same arguments against car ownership, after all, I could bike to work and rent a car on days when I need to travel outside of biking distance, but what I value, and what I suppose boat owners value, is the freedom to do what you want when the whim strikes and not have to plan ahead.
Unfortunately Chicago doesn’t belong on that list.
There’s always a sacrifice involved. A year ago I was putting in about 300 miles a week. Same places, same days, mindless driving that were I wasn’t earning money, I wasn’t doing anything productive, I wasn’t with my family, I wasn’t resting or doing something I enjoyed. Last November I moved and got a different job. Now I walk to work, and sometimes drive fewer work related miles in a month than I previously drove in a week.
It was a very difficult transition for my wife, but in the long run I am able to spend the time I would have spent doing little more than wearing out yet another set of all season radials at home, or with friends.
I don’t hate cars, they’re a life long obsession. But commuting in my opinion is dehumanizing. My next door neighbor (where I used to live) has a beautiful wife and wonderful kids, yet he works 98 miles from home. That’s three hours a day of his life that are simply being pissed away. That’s three hours a day where his loving wife worries where he is and if he’s safe. Lifestyle isn’t a good enough reason to put yourself through such an ordeal. Life is short, in the long run cars are just hunks of metal and plastic, people are what matter.
Thank you. Good to know there is another human out there with that kind of outlook on things.
I am not a good little consumer like we’ve been so well conditioned to be. My friends don’t brag to me about their new toys b/c new toys aren’t in my priorities and I continue to get good service from my older stuff that they might declare substandard if I wasn’t so content with mine. I don’t enjoy malls and make it a personal goal to avoid them. I average about one non-purchase visit a year. Going along with someone. I’m already done this year. Spent about 30 mins in Opry Mills in Nashville and began to question – what is the fun here? Spending my money on stuff I don’t need?
I hear from friends/family:
“I’ve got to have a new car!” Meanwhile mine is doing pretty good with 187K miles on it.
“I’ve bought a 42 inch LCD TV.” Meanwhile we’re watching some pretty entertaining movies on a 26″ CRT TV.
“I’ve got to have a V-6 for the power!” Meanwhile we get along just fine with 146 four cylinder horsepower for thousands and thousand of miles – even towing….
I prefer to silently make my choices. Lead by example a Navy Admiral told us one time.
Don’t get me wrong I’ve bought some stuff this year but it’s not who I am. I once had a roomate who got paid once a month and the first week of each month was rabid shopping. And then he was basically broke until the next month. The last week of each month was catalog shopping in prep for payday.
We buy quality when we want it and can afford it. I hate buying cheap crap that I know I’ll hate in short order and won’t last. That’s why my 26″ CRT still looks good even if it isn’t big. That’s why our little four banger (also a Honda) is still doing so well when other vehicles much larger are well past their prime.
Rather than buying stuff I’d rather spend our money on going places and enjoying the trip a little more (eating out for example at a good restaurant with the family – didn’t say expensive though).
We spent the past weekend at Cades Cove in the Great Smokey Mtns with our young kids. Great weekend of camping and biking and spending time together. Dragged our stuff up there in our newish Brenderup 1205S trailer behind our aged (’99) CR-V with 187K miles on it. Got 25 mpg despite driving up to Clingman’s Dome and running 75 mph on the interstate.
Other friends were stuck at home with no money watching their big TVs unable to afford to much of anywhere b/c their jobs are vaporized or they were under-employed for the kind of spending that they like to do (luxury lifestyle on a modest income = debt).
Again, I wouldn’t say anything to them about it. We quietly go about life making different choices that seem to be better choices – so far. While somebody here is bound to point out I’m talking about my friend’s behind their backs I’ll point out that we’re all strangers here. Nobody being “outed”.
Ikea is to me the GM of furniture. Their stuff is cheap, but it falls apart very quickly.
Steve, I also dislike spending money on crap and refuse to buy stuff I don’t need. Wish I knew half as much as you on how to find good deals on used stuff. However, I’ve always lived close to where I work so commuting is not a chore. Guess I’m weird, but I basically enjoy driving all but the absolute worst cars and trucks. Kind of fun learning the advantages and limitations of each one. Can’t imagine giving up the scheduling flexibility of owning my own transportation.
Mr. Lang, it sounds like you need a vacation.
Oh am I ever glad to hear I am not the only anti-Ikeadroid in the world.
I hate following arrows like a lost herd of sheep finding their way home and then insult of all insults when I say I will go now and wait in the car, I cant find my way out. So I start backtracking against the arrows and some dinglenuttdoofberry sez he you can’t go that way. Oh yeah watch me.
Time before this she wants to get there for the friggin 99 cent breakfast so we stand in line and just as we get to the serving area—ding! Sorry folks the special is over.
These retailers I am sure are the direct cause of alcoholism among husbands fanatical hanger shufflers.
Strangely enough I don’t mind going shopping in a pleasant atmosphere but I will be damned if I set foot in an Ikea again.
I was just told to plan on going to Ikea this weekend.
I wanna be a car auction guy and hang out with good ol boyz that can spit n’ scratch their nutz.
Ain’t life grand